La Tuque

La Tuque is a city in Quebec (Canada), located in the agglomeration of La Tuque, in Mauricie. It has 11,129 inhabitants in 2021. Three Indigenous communities (Coucoucache, Obedjiwan and Wemotaci) are also enclaved there (representing a total of 3,232 Attikameks inhabitants in 2016), without being administratively part of the city.

The city of La Tuque is the second largest municipality in Quebec in terms of area after the municipality of Eeyou Istchee Baie-James.

It is located halfway between Shawinigan and the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.

The French-Canadian origin of the toponym "La Tuque" dates back to the early 19th century.

At the time when trappers and traders from New France crisscrossed the Saint-Maurice River (1.5 to 2 km wide in places) and the Bostonnais River, the most recognized landmark in the area was a rather bare rocky mountain with a few fir trees at its summit. Its tuque-like appearance influenced the natives and coureurs des bois of French ancestry. This peak near the river was designated as the main landmark in the area, being visible from several kilometres downstream and upstream. La Tuque was born, at least traditionally if not officially.

Explorer François Verreault described it thus in 1823-24: "The travelers call it La Tuque, because of a high mountain, whose peak resembles a tuque. This portage is a league long, with steep hills to climb." In the past, the summit of this mountain was used to observe navigation on the river and monitor the surrounding territory.

The tuque-shaped mountain that gave its name to the town of La Tuque is located in the centre of the Saint-Maurice River. However, its unique relief was modified during the construction of a dam. The summit of this mountain now rises to approximately 245 metres, and is located 200 metres from the river and approximately 400 metres upstream (northeast side) of the La Tuque hydroelectric power station.